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Commander's Intent

Commander's Intent

Are You Busy or Are You Actually Moving Forward?

Sep 24, 2026 · 26 min · 8 segments

A packed schedule can make you feel productive, but are the things filling your day actually moving you toward your vision? In this episode of Commander’s Intent, Derek Oaks and Rob Powell use a…

A packed schedule can make you feel productive, but are the things filling your day actually moving you toward your vision? In this episode of Commander’s Intent, Derek Oaks and Rob Powell use a lesson from their military aviation careers, “cube out before you gross out,” to reveal what happens when leaders fill their time, teams, and organizations with tasks before prioritizing what matters most. They connect this aviation principle to the Eisenhower Matrix, leadership, time management, decision-making, and the danger of allowing other people to continually load your schedule. The challenge is simple: stop measuring productivity by how full your calendar is and start giving the weightiest matters your time first. Because being busy and moving forward are not the same thing.

A packed schedule can make you feel productive, but are the things filling your day actually moving you toward your vision? In this episode of Commander’s Intent, Derek Oaks and Rob Powell use a…

Spotify YouTube Website

Show signals: Audience≈3 followers

Speakers: Derek OaksHostRob PowellHost

Top entities: Lockheed C-130 Hercules×7 Lockheed C-5 Galaxy×3 Apple Podcasts×3 United States Army Special Forces×2 Lockheed MC-130

Cube Out or Gross Out0:53 – 5:45

0:53

To start with that perspective, there's a term when you're flying airlift aircraft.

0:56

Now, Rob flew some form of airlift aircraft his entire Air Force career.

1:00

I flew airlift aircraft for about six years.

1:02

I started in a C-130, then I went to a C-17.

1:05

C-130 is kind of the baby airlifter.

1:08

where it had a max carrying capacity of 42,000 pounds.

1:13

There were six pallet positions of 108 by 88 inches.

1:17

The C-17, in comparison, could carry 18 pallet positions and 170,000 pounds.

1:24

That's a lot of weight.

1:25

And then you look at the C-5, which I never flew, and the C-5 could carry 281,000 pounds.

1:32

Now, that's a lot of weight.

1:33

There are 36 pallet positions.

1:35

You could put a lot of really big stuff inside of a C-5 and a C-17 for that matter.

1:41

Like I said, I flew the C-130 and then I flew the C-17.

1:45

Rob flew the MC-130, which I don't know if it had the same carrying capacity because it carried a lot of extraneous gear.

1:52

I don't know.

1:52

What was it,

1:53

Rob? We had one less pallet position than a regular C-130.

1:57

Okay.

1:57

All right.

1:58

And one of those power positions, now I'm getting into the weeds, but there are five on the floor and one on the ramp.

2:03

And the one on the ramp was less weight, but it was still 4,664.

2:07

I'm dating myself a little bit there.

2:10

And it's kind of amazing that I can't remember my kid's birthday, but I can remember how many pounds I can put on the ramp of the C-130E.

2:18

But the term was you cube out before you gross out.

Lockheed C-130 HerculesEntityAircraft model
96%7 mentions
Lockheed C-5 GalaxyEntityMilitary transport aircraft
88%3 mentions
Apple PodcastsSoftware Application
79%3 mentions
United States Army Special ForcesOrganizationSpecial forces
71%2 mentions
Lockheed MC-130Entity
63%1 mention
Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIEntityMilitary transport aircraft
54%4 mentions
iTunesSoftware ApplicationMedia player
46%3 mentions
Beechcraft King AirEntity
38%3 mentions
Air forceEntity
29%3 mentions
United States Army RangersOrganizationRanger
21%1 mention
Benjamin FranklinPersonFounding Father of the United States
13%1 mention
Pilatus PC-6 PorterEntityAircraft model
4%1 mention

Society
Aviation
Airlift AircraftAviation > Aircraft
C-130Aviation > Aircraft > Airlift Aircraft
Operational CapacityAviation > Aircraft > Airlift Aircraft > C-130
Cargo ManagementMilitary > Air Force > Airlift Operations
Weight LimitationsMilitary > Air Force > Airlift Operations > Cargo Management
Task ManagementPersonal Development > Time Management > Eisenhower Matrix > Prioritization
Stress ManagementSociety > Workplace Culture > Professional Development
Work-Life BalanceSociety > Workplace Culture > Professional Development > Stress Management
Time ManagementPersonal Development
Workplace CultureSociety
Air ForceMilitary
AircraftAviation
Airlift OperationsMilitary > Air Force
Personal Development
Military
Eisenhower MatrixPersonal Development > Time Management
PrioritizationPersonal Development > Time Management > Eisenhower Matrix
Professional DevelopmentSociety > Workplace Culture

Cube Out or Gross Out0:53 – 5:45

0:53

To start with that perspective, there's a term when you're flying airlift aircraft.

0:56

Now, Rob flew some form of airlift aircraft his entire Air Force career.

1:00

I flew airlift aircraft for about six years.

1:02

I started in a C-130, then I went to a C-17.

1:05

C-130 is kind of the baby airlifter.

1:08

where it had a max carrying capacity of 42,000 pounds.

1:13

There were six pallet positions of 108 by 88 inches.

1:17

The C-17, in comparison, could carry 18 pallet positions and 170,000 pounds.

1:24

That's a lot of weight.

1:25

And then you look at the C-5, which I never flew, and the C-5 could carry 281,000 pounds.

1:32

Now, that's a lot of weight.

1:33

There are 36 pallet positions.

1:35

You could put a lot of really big stuff inside of a C-5 and a C-17 for that matter.

1:41

Like I said, I flew the C-130 and then I flew the C-17.

1:45

Rob flew the MC-130, which I don't know if it had the same carrying capacity because it carried a lot of extraneous gear.

1:52

I don't know.

1:52

What was it,

1:53

Rob? We had one less pallet position than a regular C-130.

1:57

Okay.

1:57

All right.

1:58

And one of those power positions, now I'm getting into the weeds, but there are five on the floor and one on the ramp.

2:03

And the one on the ramp was less weight, but it was still 4,664.

2:07

I'm dating myself a little bit there.

2:10

And it's kind of amazing that I can't remember my kid's birthday, but I can remember how many pounds I can put on the ramp of the C-130E.

2:18

But the term was you cube out before you gross out.

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